The Dark Knight – Not Reviewed

It’s going to be hard to top this new version of The Joker. Even though he’s my least favourite Batman villain (after possibly The Riddler) this is the most lethal and interesting I’ve seen him in or out of the comics. Batman Begins and Dark Knight are the least comic-bookish of the comic book movies, which is to say the most gritty and down-to-earth. There is super-technology but no super-powers besides, you know…normal ninja stuff. As such, here are some Batman villains that I think they can introduce into this new Batman franchise:

I think with the right spin, the Ventriloquist and Scarface could be really awesome and more than dark enough. Apparently Mr. Zsasz was hinted at in Batman Begins…he’d fit right in as well. Black Mask seems doable, but maybe they did the taking-over-the-mob thing too much in this recent one. Firefly…a character that just burns shit down…simple, chaotic…he could be good, but you’re probably right, they won’t.

I just can’t see how they’d do the Riddler or Penguin or Catwoman in this new franchise…despite their high positions in the Batman Baddie pantheon, they’re just too cartoony. The Penguin could maybe be some peripheral mid-level crime guy, like his more recent nightclub-owning persona…Nigma’s inability not to give clues would be hard to deal with. Mad Hatter is a really dark character, but they’d have to be super careful about camp creeping in. I think if they were going to use Hugo Strange they’d have already hinted at him in all the Arkham references. Bane somehow seems like he’d have the most meat as an antagonist but only his big brain…some massive scary Latino organized crime guy entering the picture…they’d have to keep his ‘roids out of the story I think though.

Sadly I think Mr. Freeze will be eternally associated with ICE TO MEETCHUness and is too sci-fi. Clayface is basically Sandman. Killer Croc..sci-fi. I used to love Man-Bat, but yeah…too sci-fi and he’s basically The Lizard, who after all the hinting will have to show up in a Spiderman eventually.

Did you notice how carefully they kept from showing Gordon’s daughter’s face…or hair? I hope that’s because they’re never ever going to go there.

I’d love to see Catman, but that will never happen.

I guess you’re right: all in all Egghead is truly the best and only choice.

I don’t know. I can see a film with Catwoman done rather well. Having just read some of the more recent Catwoman stuff, she’d do fine in a film. They’d have to downplay the campy cat behaviour and focus more on her catburglary M.O. like they appear to have done. I haven’t seen the second film yet (one more day!) but the whole love story between Selina and Bruce Wayne might not fly so well with the current love story between Bruce and Rachelle

They could do a Clayface film as well but only if they focused on the earlier versions of Clayface where he was just a master of disguise rather than the big goopy monster he later became.

I could see a Riddler film too. Make it more like ‘Seven’ type of riddles than the corny ‘riddle me this’ lines.

Anyway, I’ll have more to say in a few days after I see the second film.

Despite the Nolans stating that they would avoid the campier villians, it sure seems like they’ve left themselves a nice setup to introduce the Riddler in the next film. I won’t go into details as I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t seen it yet, but it really feels like they’ve got a definate arc that could be not a mirror, but still a reflection of The Dark Knight Returns.